Bruce Robertson, Assistant Auditor-General – Local Government, Office of the Auditor-General The 2015 LTPs and the associated consultation documents were a repackaging of the requirements around long-term planning. Bruce will discuss what he and others in the Audit Office have

1. [insert date in Master
slide 1]
1
[insert title (in Master slide 1]
SOLGM’s
Community Plan Forum
August 2015
Bruce Robertson Assistant Auditor-General
Sarah Lineham and Svea Cunliffe-Steel
Image
here
August 2015
Christchurch

2. The problem
…Previously local authorities published draft LTPs for publication.
These were long and complex documents that were difficult for
most of the community to respond to …
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3. 3

4. The solution
A document that marshalled the right debate:
• Elected member-led
• Short and succinct
• Good issue and option description (including context and
implications)
• Consultation questions
• Often used the financial and infrastructure strategies to set the
scene
• Excluded what was not on the table
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5. The solution
The 30 year infrastructure strategy reset the balance between a
snapshot at a point in time with the dynamic local government
environment:
• Auckland – big steps towards vision
• Hamilton – comprehensive linkages
• Wellington – data-driven lifecycle management
• Christchurch – working with what you know
• Dunedin – transparency about priorities
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6. Opinions – emphasis of matter
All 78 received unmodified opinions; and EOM’s for
• Auckland – transport programme (and funding)
• Chatham Islands – uncertainty on roading funding
• Christchurch – best information subject to change
• Dunedin – driving efficiencies
• Kaipara – ratepayer-driven judicial procedures
• Wanganui – uncertainties on WWTP
-
• Napier and Upper Hutt – scope limitations on amalgamations
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7. Good for your health? – the big mac
combo
• Too much background information and context, leading to a
loss of focus
• Poorly described infrastructure and financial strategies and
how they related to the significant issues
• Unclear issues and/on what was being consulted on
• Poorly written consultation questions
• It’s all BAU
These characteristics (often in combination) lessened the
effectiveness of the documents consultation value
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8. Measuring effectiveness
On balance, a positive “yes”
Often used in conjunction through increased use of social media
or other less formal approaches … along with the use of tools
such as web-based rate calculators
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9. 2018 – gain areas
• Attention to significance and engagement policy
• Clarity of significant levels of service change (s97)
consultations
• The Crown as a co-funder
• Nature and quality of underlying information supporting the CD
• Think a bit more about succinctness – an average of 32 pages
– If I had another month …
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10. NZIER report – the
echoes

11. 11
NZIER report – forces of
change
Employment growth by region
Population growth 2006-2013
dark red -3 / dark blue +3

12. 2018 - Regional demographics and
economy
Have these been adequately considered in the longer term?
What about other longer term issues:
• Climate change adaption and community resilience
• Disruptive technology
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13. 2018 - Integrated thinking and
disclosures
Issue/response = f(context/risk)
Integration of infrastructure, funding and levels of service into one
combined strategy (s 101B(5))
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